Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-05-05

'How can you pretend to sleep,
shameless fellow that you are? You,
you are the dastardly rogue that has
been haunting my forestP'
"Well. that's true enough; / am the
man; but is it for little thing like
that, that you are making all this un-
| timely fuss?''
"a lille thingr' shrieked Saillant
'.None of that, sir. You think, per-
haps that your highway robberies will
be regarded as an idle prank; this very
evening yon have robbed my friend
Charras; be has recognized you. and
your shameful story is known and cries
aloud for punishment.
''Well, for heavens sake, brother,
why couldn't you wait till morning to
contide to me this pleasant Informal
| tiOn?" asked Mirabeau with undis-
turbed GOODNESS. ut is trne that 1
have robbed your friend Charras, and
the eight others, but what does that
prove against me?"
'.And you can ask such an idiotic
question: cried Saillant For my
part. 1 should say it proves you a good
for-nothing scoundrel."
81 fail to see it in Just that light,
| dear brother" answered the other
meekly; 'but I think your conduct
proves you senseless fool. Can you
| really pretend to believe that 1 have
robbed these cowardly mobiles for the
sake of few paltry louis dor? 1t was
simply an experiment; 1 wished to
prove their courage, and my own also.
1t is true the experiment was risky
one, but has been thoroughly satisfac-
| tory on my side, while proving your
friends miserable towards, who would,
in truth succumb to the very first strug-
gle with the cGnGille."
Taking a key from the table near
| him, he now presented it to the Count.
saying:
"Open my desk there and remove
the second drawer"
Utterly bewildered by Mirabeau's
imperturbable mOnchalance, Saillant
silently obeyed.
Within the drawer lay nine purses,
| a paper affixed to each bearing the
name of the former owner.
Perhaps this will satisfy you that it
has never been my intention to enrich
myself through the possessions of
Others" said Mirabeau, scornfully. at
was my full determination to return
the purses to their original owners, and
which can easily be done in the morn
ing. Assemble your friends together,
and will give them full explanation
before taking my departure, important
letters already calling me elsewhere.
And now, brother. if you are satisfied,
1 would like to say goodnight
| Count de Saillant answered not a
word; bewildered, he quietly left the
room, convinced, at least, that his rela-
tive was no ordinary highwayman; but
he had also caught full glimpse of the
daring, relentless spirit of the man who
afterward became the Titan of the
| French Revolution.
On the following day Mirabeau took
leave of his Limousin friends in the fol-
lowing manner
| Gentlemen, said he, with indie
scribable sang froid, ''pardon the little
experiment l have tried on you in order
to prove my own courage; your prop
| erty has been returned, and my
brother-in-law has given what, hope,
is satisfactory explanation; if it has
proved otherwise, however, 1 am quite
prepared and willing to offer honorable
satisfaction to any one desiring it.
regret to say that this dull country.
forcing one to play bandit to relieve
the stagnation of life, is no longer con-
genial to me, and as 1 am now about
to enter the more exciting pleasures OF
the political arena, wish only to bid
you farewell"
1t was quite evident that none OF
those present desired to cross swords
with the grimly humorous Count; the
| gentlemen stood somewhat abashed be-
fore him, and their eyes fell before his
intrepid gaze. The Marquis of Char
ras, finally forcing his features to as
sumo smile, blandly remarked that
the whole affair was regarded as a very
good joke, and his companions made
no objection to this settlement of the
matter.-Ir Translated from the French.
| klLDA ISLANDERS.